Reinforcing rod spacer



April 14, 1953 E. w. BYARS ET AL REINFORCING Ron SPACER Filed Feb, 28. 1947 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 REINFORCING ROD SPACER Edgar W. Byars and William B. Allen, Tampa, Fla.; said Allen assignor to said Byars Application February 28, 1947, Serial No. 731,598

8 Claims. (Cl. l2-122) 'I'his invention relates to reinforce chairs or supports.

' 'I'he main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a reinforce chair or support which is well adapted for use on foundations such for example as the bottoms of trenches or earth foundation surfaces for highways or iioor slabs or the like.`

Second, to provide a support which may be very economically produced and easily installed and which effectively supports the reinforce material on a foundation that is not, in itself, especially compacted.

Third, to provide a reinforce support or chair which includes an effective thrust plate to facilitate positioning of the reinforce seat relative to the foundation and to receive the thrust load upon the reinforce elements.

Fourth, to provide a structure of this character in which the supporting plate can be collapsed or swung to a position to `permit compact arrangement of the reinforce chairs or for shipment or storage.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a reinforce chair embodying the invention with the chair shown in operative relation to a trench adapted to receive a foundation and with rod-like reinforce elements shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating details of the structure.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form or embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing I represents the ground. and 2 a trench formed therein such for example as might be provided for receiving the foundation of a house or like building.

The reinforce support or chair of the invention as embodied in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a pair of upwardly facing laterally spaced U-shaped seats 3 adapted to receive reinforcing bars or rods 4. The seats 3 are provided with inner legs 5- which are connected by the cross member 6 and outer legs 'I which extend substantially below thecross member 6 forpenetrative engagement with the ground or foundation on which the slab is to be laid. The legs are joined to the seats by downwardly facing U-shaped loops 8. These chairs or Supports are formed of heavy gauge wire or rod of suitable gauge depending on the size of the chair and the load which it is designed to carry.

To position the chairs relative to the foundation surface and to support the load on the chairs, we provide a thrust plate 9 in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this thrust plate being provided with pivot tongues or ears I0 struck up therefrom to pivotally engage the cross member 6. The member 6 horizontally offset from the inner legs 5 provides a shaft-like bearing member about which the thrust plate is tiltable and the axis of tilting movement of the thrust plate coincides with the longitudinal aXis of the member 6.

The plates 9 are desrably formed of sheet metal and to strengthen the same are provided with diagonal ribs II. This pivotal mounting permits the plate to conform to an uneven surface on the foundation and also to swingfinto substantially parallel relation to the legs for storage or shipment.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the outer legs I2 corresponding to the legs 'I have inward horizontal oil'sets I3 forming supporting shoulders for the thrust plate I4. In this case the thrust plate is provided with holes I 5 receiving the legs and with a longitudinal groove IS stiifening the plate longitudinally and also providing an effective pivotal engagement of the plate about the horizontal offsets I3 of the legs I2. It will be appreciated that in this structure the plates would normally be packed or shipped in disassembled relation and they can be readily slipped onto thelegs. It will also be readily appreciated that any looseness of the legs I2 in the openings I 5 of the thrust plate such as permits the thrust plate to be readily slipped onto the legs I2, as above described, will also permit the above described pivotal engagement of the thrust plate with the horizontal offsets I3 of the legs; the thrust plate being relatively thin, any very slight looseness of the legs I2 in the openings I5 will permit a considerable tilting movement. The plate is ink thrust engagement with the cross mem-ber 6. Y

In rthe modication or embodiment shown in an adaptation of the invention vfor a single sup A g tion penetrating legs may be inserted. The

thrust plates are mainly desirable in that case in properly positioning the seats relative to the surface of the concrete foundation. Ordinarily, after the concrete foundation has set the legs would serve as sufficient support. However, it is desired to point out that frequently workmen stand or walk upon the reinforce elementsso that Y the thrust plates are highly desirable 'for sustain-V ing the load.

We have illustrated and described the invention certain embodiments thereof whichY we believe will. enable those skilled in the art t0 which our invention relates to Lembody or adapt .the same as may be desired. l v -Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and vdesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

-`.1. -A rei-nforce` support comprising laterally spaced upwardly facing U-shaped reinforce seats each-'having legs Yjoined thereto on the oppositefsid'es thereof by downwardly facing loops providing innerlegs between the seats and providing cuter legs on the outer sides of the seats, the inner legs being connected by an integral cross member, the outer legs being extended below theinner legs Afor penetrative engagement withV afoundation, and a foundation engaging thrust plate of sheet metal having tongues struck therefrom pivotally engaging said integral cross member, sa-id thrustV member having diagonally disposed reinforcing ribs.

2;k A reinforce support comprising laterally spaced upwardly facing lU -shaped reinforce seats Veach .having legs joined thereto on the opposite sides thereof by downwardly facing loops providing inner legs between the seats and providing outer legs on the outer sides of the seats, the inner legs being connectedV by an integral cross member, the outer legs being extended below the inner legsV for penetrative engagement with a foundation,rand a foundation engaging thrust plate-engaging said integral cross member, said thrust plate having means spaced longitudinally of the-cross member and surrounding the cross member above thefsame for pivotally connecting the thrust plateto the cross member, said cross memberproviding a-shaft-like bearing member aboutrwhich said thrust plate is tiltable, the axis of tilting movement rof said thrust plate coinciding with the longitudinal axis of said crossY member `in the portions thereof surrounded by said means.

3. A reinforce support formed of rod stock and comprising laterally spaced upwardly facing U- shaped'reinforceseats, each seat having inner and outer legs. joinedA thereto by downwardly facing U-shaped bends, the inner llegs being inte'grally connected by a horizontal member, the outer legs being extended below said horizontal member for penetrative engagement with a foundatiomand'a thrust plate engaged with the said horizontal membelof said inner legs, said thrust platefhaving integral tongues extending upwardly and aroundjsa-id, horizontalY member Y mastered eegltudnally thereof..tq,pivota11y connect said thrust plate to said horizontal member, said horizontal member providing a shaft-like bearing member about which said thrust plate is tiltable, the axis of tilting movement of said thrust plate coinciding with the longitudinal axis of said horizontal member in the portions thereof surrounded by said tongues.

4. A reinforce support formed of rod stock and conformed to provide an upwardly facing reinforce seat, and legs joined to said seat by downwardly facing loops and adapted for penetrative engagement with a foundation, the legs having horizontal offsets therein, and a thrust plate having openings therethrough through which said legs project, said horizontal offsets being in V'supporting 'engagement with said thrust plate and providing shaft-like bearing members about which said thrust plate is tiltable, the axis 0f tilting movement of said thrust plate coinciding generally with the longit-udinal axes of said horivzontal oifsets.- i Y Y' Y 5. A reinforce support comprising laterally spaced upwardlyrfacing U-shaped reinforce seats each having legs joined thereto on the opposite sides thereof by downwardly facing loopsproviding inner legs between the seats and providing outer legs on the .outer sides of the seats, the inner legs being connected by an integral, cross member, the outer legs .having osets .therein aligned with said cross member, and a thrust plate perforated to .receive said legs and provided with an upwardly facing longitudinal groove ree ceiving the said cross member of saidv legs and saidoifsets, said offsets and cross member providing shaft-like bearing .members about which said thrust plate is tiltable, theY axisof tilting movement of said thrust plate coinciding generally with the longitudinal axes of said offsets and cross member. v

6. A reinforce support comprising laterally spaced upwardly facing U-shaped reinforce seats each having legs joined thereto on the opposite sides thereof by downwardly facing loops providing inner legs between Vthe seats and providing outer legs on the outer sides of the seats, the inner legs being connected by an integral. cross member, the outer legs havingl offsets Ytherein aligned with said cross member, and a thrust plate perforated toreceive said legs and in thrust engagement with the said cross member of said legsl and said offsets, said offsets and cross member providing shaft-like bearing members `'about which said thrust plate is tiltable, the axis ofr tilting movement of said thrust plate coinciding generally with the longitudinal axes of said olfsets and cross member.V

7. A reinforce support formed of a rod comprising an upwardly facing reinforcejseat, and legs joined to the seat by downwardly OpenU- shaped bends, and adapted for penetrative engagement with a foundation, the legs having horizontal offsets therein, and a, thrust Vplate having pivot ears engaging said offsets, said horizontal offsets providing shaft-like bearing members about which'saidthrustplate is tiltable, the axis of tilting movement of said thrustplate coinciding generallyY with the longitudinal'axes of said horizontal'offsets.

8. In a reinforcesupport, an Vupwardly"facing U-shaped reinforce seat having legson theopposite sides thereof and joined thereto .by'fdownwardly open U-'shapedY bends, one of Vsaid .legs having a vertical portion for penetrative .engage- Yment withV a.Y foundation, the other' of lsaid legs having la horizontal 'ciset portion, isaid vertical portion of the first mentioned leg extending a substantial distance below the level of the horizontal portion of said other leg, and a thrust plate tiltable about said horizontal offset portion and in thrust engagement therewith and acting to space the reinforce seat from the upper suxface of a foundation when the first mentioned leg is in penetrative engagement with a foundation, said seat and legs being' formed of a rod-like member bent to shape, said horizontal oset portion providing a shaft-like bearing member about which said thrust plate is tiltaole, the axis of tilting movement of said thrust plate coincido ing generally with the longitudinal axis of said horizontal offset portion.

EDGAR W. BYARS.

WILLIAM B. ALLEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

